Furnace grate



6 s heets sh eet- 1'.

(No Model.)

' 0.3.. GREUTER.

PURNAGE GRATB.

Patented Sept. 22, 1896..

FIELI.

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 2.

0. R. GREUTER. FURNACE GRATE.

No. 567,974. Pa,tentedv Sept.2'2,1896.

WITNESSES:

m; numu: PETERS (x1, PHOTO-LUNG" WASHINGYON. a, c.

I 6 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No M'odeII) G.'R. GREUTER.

FURNACE GRATE. N0. 56 7,9741.

Patented Sept. 22, 1896.

WITNESSES:

'nl: Nnnms PETERS co. FHO'IG'LITHO-Y WASHINGTON, D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC CHARLES R. GREUTER, OF SALEM, OHIO, ASSIGNORTO THE BUCKEYE ENGINE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

FURNACE-G RATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 567,974., datedSeptember 22, 1896. Application filed July 17, 1895. Serial No. 556,285.(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES R. GEEUTER, of Salem, in the county ofOolumbiana and State of Ohio,have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Furnace-Grates, of which improvement the following is aspecification.

My improvement relates to the class of vibratory grates for steam-boilerand other furnaces which are actuated and supplied with fuel bymechanismknown in the art as me chanical stokers5 and its object is to provide anapparatus which shall be simple,durable, self-contained, and of suchconstruction that it may be fitted up and erected complete beforeleaving the shop, and one wherein the alternate grate-bars maybe raisedand lowered either automatically or by hand, irrespective of theposition of the grate, for the purpose of agitating the fire, preventingthe formation of clinker or clogging of the grate due to the melting andrunning together of the fuel or other causes, and also allowing freeaccess of air to the fire, thereby providing an apparatus particularlyadapted to the use of various classes and grades of fuel,includinglowrgrade 'Western bituminous coals or the run of mines, coalwhich produces considerable clinker and coal which tends to become fluidand run over the grates before coking.

A further object of my invention is to provide a grate capable of beingreadily and quickly adjusted to any desired angle for automatic orhand-firing and cleaning or removing the entire bed of fire when it isdesired to quickly stop the combustion on the grate.

The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view in elevation of asteam-boiler furnace in which my invention is applied; Fig. 2, avertical longitudinal section through the same, showing the appliedmechanism in elevation, the grate being shown in position for automaticfiring; Fig. 3, a vertical longitudinal section on the line w 00 of Fig.1, the grate being shown in position for cleaning or firing by band;Fig. 4, a vertical transverse section at the line y y of Fig. 2, lookingin the direction of the front of the furnace, the

sey'en right-hand grate-bars and operating mechanism being shown inelevation; Fig. 5, a view similar to Fig. 2, the alternate gratebarsbeing shown in their upper or' raised position when the grate is beingoperated automatically; Fig. 6, a vertical transverse section on theline o o of Fig; 5, looking in the direction of the bridge-wall or rearof the furnace; Figs. 7 and 8, side views, in elevation and on anenlarged scale, of the movable and stationary grate-bars, respectively;Figs. 9 and 10, vertical transverse sections through the grate-bars onthe lines 10 w and .2 z of Figs. 7 and 8, respectively; Fig. 11, avertical transverse section through the furnace, taken close to theinside of the fire-front and looking to the rear; and Fig. 12, a view inperspective, showing a portion of one of the side supporting-frames andof the transverse bar 8 and shaft 8.

My invention is herein shown as applied in connection with asteam-boiler furnace l, which is of the ordinary construct-ion and isprovided with a fire-bridge 2 at its inner or rear end and with afire-front 3, having openings 4:, closed by firing and cleaning doors 5at its front. A suitable ash-pit 74 is formed at the bottom of thefurnace, and access thereto is afforded through an opening '75 in thefire-front below the openings 4:.

In the practice of my invention I provide an adjustable main gratecomposed of a series of grate or fire bars'6 and 6, divided alternatelyinto two sets, as shown in Figs. 4:, 5, and 6. The grate-bars 6 and 6"rest upon and are connected to a rectangular supporting-frame and arecapable of being, together with said supporting-frame, adjusted to anydesired angle. The alternate series of bars 6, in addition to beingcapable of angular adjustment coincidently with the supporting frame andbars 6, have a vertical and longitudinal movement imparted to them bymechanism to be presently described independently of the supportingframe and bars 6 and irrespective of the angle at which said frame andbars may have been adjusted. The bars 6 rest in notches formed in theupper edges of two transverse bars 7 and 8, located near the front andrear ends, respectively, of the furnace 1, and are firmly seupon whichrests a transverse bar 10, secured to the bar 7 by means of bolts orscrews, thus holding the bars 6 firmly to the transverse bar 7, asillustrated in Fig. 8. are connected near their lower or rear ends tothe transverse bar 8 by means of downwardly and rearwardly projectinglugs 11, formed upon their lower edges, said rearwardly-pl'ojectingportions of the lugs 11 bearing against the under face of the transversebar 8 and being of a length greater than the width of said bar, so as tohold the gratebars 6 firmly as against any vertical movement, while atthe same time allowing them to expand longitudinally without anytendency to warp and twist, as would be the case were they rigidlysecured at their ends to the transverse bars 7 and 8.

Below the transverse bar 8 and formed integral therewith is located atransverse shaft 8, supported at its ends in bearings formed upon theupper edges of two supportingframes 12, set in opposite sides of thefurnace 1. The transverse bar 7 and transverse shaft 8 are rigidlyconnected by means of two side bars 13, the whole forming therectangular supporting-frame hereinbefore referred to for the support ofthe main-grate bars 6 and 6.

The two side bars 13 are coupled near their forward ends by links let toarms 15 on a transverse shaft 16, journaled in bearings formed in thesupporting-frames 12 near the front of the furnace and a short distancebelow the openings 4 in the fire-front 3, and having two arms 17,extending outwardly therefrom through the fire-front 3, said arms 17being provided with suitable counterbalances18. The counterbalances 18are formed of two sections, each fitting upon the arms 17 and securedthereto by means of bolts. One of said sections of one of thecounterbalances is slotted for the admission of a pawl 19, which slidesthrough an opening in a collar formed upon the arm 17 and engagesratchet-teeth in a segment 21, secured to the outside of the fire-front3, whereby the adjustable rectangular frame, carrying the main-gratebars 6 and 6, may be held at any desired angle to which it is desired toadjust it. The pawl 19 is held in engagement with the teeth 20 by meansof a spring 19, secured at one end to the counterbalance 18 and at theother to the handle of the pawl 19, which projects at right angles fromsaid pawl, and through a slot formed in the counterbalance 18 asufficient distance to afford a handle for raising and lowering the arm17. A fuelfeed-supply passage or opening 22, formed in the fire-front 3,near its top, establishes communication between the furnace and afuelhopper 23, which is secured to the fire-front The grate-bars 6 andis provided with a vibratory fuel-feeder 24, to be presently described.The bottom or feed plate of the fuel-hopper extends a shortdistance intothe furnace, and an auxiliary or coking grate, composed of a series ofcurved grate-bars 26, formed as arms upon hubs or bosses and havinglateral fuel-supporting plates 27, is interposed between the bottomplate 25 and the forward end of the main-grate bars 6 and 6. Theauxiliary or coking grate 26 is supported upon a trans verse rocker-bar28, journaled in bearings secured to the inside of the fire-front 3adjacent to the ends of the bottom or feed plate 25. The grate-bars 26of the auxiliary grate are fitted freely on the transverse rocker-bar28, so as to rock thereon independently one of the other, and areconnected detachably to the upper portion of the rocker-bar, which is ofsubstantially cylindrical form in crosssection, by means of open socketsformed in their hubs or bosses and fitting thereon. As the rocker-bar 28is of a length but slightly greater than the width of the main grate andthe grate-bars 26 extend its entire length it is not necessary to securesaid grate-bars as against lateral displacement, as each bar bearsagainst the next adjoining one with sufficient force to hold it inplace. The free ends of the auxiliary-grate bars 26 rest freely when themain grate is in position for use in mechanical firing on the upper endsof the main-grate bars 6 and 6, and being free to move upon therocker-bar 28 are moved correspondingly with the movement of the bars 6when the fire is being agitated.

The transverse rocker-bar 28 is provided at its lower portion and inline with its bearings with an arm 29, extending outwardly therefromthrough the fire-front 3 and connected by a link 29 to the vibratoryfuelfeeder 24. The rocker-bar 28; being oscillated coincidently with themovement of the vibratory fuel-feeder, causes the auxiliary-grate bars26 to advance and recede upon the main grate, thus feeding the fuelslowly thereon. The lateral fuel-supporting plates 27 of the bars 26 arestepped or alternated in position on the respective bars, as shown inFig. 4, so that the plates move freely past one another in the rockingmovement of the bars. A dumping-grate 30 is interposed between the rearend of the main grate and the fire-bridge 2, and rests upon and issecured to a transverse shaft 31, rectangular in cross-section, andlocated near its rear end and journaled in bearings formed in the twoside frames 12. A dead-plate 32 rests upon the two side frames 12between the dumpinggrate 30 and fire-bridge 2, and is provided withshort gratebars upon its edge adjacent to the dumping grate, said shortgrate-bars being alternated with the bars of the dumping-grate. Thedead-plate 32 prevents the access of clinkers or other obstructions tothe space in the rear of the dumping-grate, while the short gratebarsserve to break up any clinkers that may accumulate upon the rear end ofsaid dumping-grat-e.

The lowering and raising of the dumpinggrate from and into its normalposition are effected by means of a downwardly-projecting arm or bracket33, formed integral with its lower side and connected by means of a linkor bar 34, extending beneath the main grate and through the fire-front 3to the lower arm of arocker 35, of substantially bell-crank form,journaled in bearings secured to the outside of the fire-front. A socket36 is formed in the upper arm of the rocker 35 for the admission of adetachable hand-lever 37, and the dumping-grate 30 is held firmly in itsraised or normal position by means of a pawl 38, pivotally secured tothe rocker-arm bearing and engaging a pin 39, secured to the lower armof said rocker. By this construction but little movement of theoperating-lever 37 is required to dump and raise the grate 30, and thegrate is easily moved, as the leverage is greater when the grate is insuch position that the greatest force is required to lift it.

The main-grate bars 6, in addition to being adjustable at differentangles coincidently with the supporting-frame and main-grate bar 6, havea movement which is both vertical and longitudinal, the verticalmovement, which is comparatively slight at the upper or forward end,being imparted to the bars as follows: The bars 6 rest upon thetransverse bars 7 and 8 near their ends when the grate is in normalposition, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, and are provided withdownwardly-projecting lugs 40 and 41, located near their ends, butbetween the bars 7 and 8. Said lugs are provided with longitudinal slots42 and 43, respectively, which are open at their inner ends, the lug 41and slot 43 being somewhat longer than the lug 40 and slot 42, for areason which will presently be seen. A transverse shaft 44 is fitted toslide in the slots 42 and is connected by short arms 45 to a transverseshaft 46, journaled in bearings formed upon the two side bars 13. Theshaft 46 is located nearer the center of the gratebars 6 than the shaft44. A transverse shaft 47, corresponding to the shaft 44, is fitted toslide in the slots 43 of the lugs 41, and is connected by arms 48, whichare short, but longer than the arms 45, to a transverse shaft 49,journaled in bearings formed upon the two side bars 13 adjacent to thetransverse shaft 8. The shaft 49 is located nearer the ends of the bars6 than the shaft 47, allowing the arms 48 to assume a position nearlyparallel with the grate-bars 6 when the same are at rest or in line withthe bars 6.

The shaft 49 is provided with a downwardlyprojecting arm or bracket 50,connected at its lower end by a long link or bar 51 to the lower end ofa downwardly-projecting arm or bracket 52, formed upon the shaft 46. The

link 51 is connected to the arm 52 byme'ans of a pin 52, which slides-ina longitudinal slot 51 formed in said link 51, the slot being of such alength as to permit of considerable movement of the arms 50 before thearm 52 is affected. The arm 50 is also connected by a long link or bar53, which passes beneath the main grate and through the fire-front 3 tooperating mechanism upon the outside of the furnace to be presentlydescribed.

When movement is imparted to the shaft 49 through the medium of theoperatin g mechanism, the link 53, and the arm 50, an upward movement isimparted to the lower end of the grate-bars 6 by means of the arms 48and shaft 47. When the bars 6 have moved up into the fire for about twoinches, the link 51 will have moved the length of its slot 51, therebybringing the end of said slot in contact with pin 52 on the arms 52. Thefurther movement of the shaft 49 and corresponding parts will cause theupper ends of the grate-bars 6 to move slightly upward and thenlongitudinally in the direction of the lower or rear end of the grate.The slot 43 in the lug 41 allows the bars 6 to slide forward a shortdistance without becoming detached from the shaft 44. In the reversemovement the grate-bars will first move down wardly from the fuel andthen longitudinally in the direction of the fire-front or upper end ofthe main grate.

The grate-bars being supported intermediately instead of at their ends,as heretofore, are free to expand without any tendency to warping, whichtendency exists, to a greater or less degree, in constructions in whichgratebars are confined in bearings at their ends. The vertical andlongitudinal movement of the bars 6 tends to loosen and prevent thecoking of coal thereon, as well as to maintain proper air-spaces in thebody of coal, at the same time gradually feeding the fuel in thedirection of the dumpingrate 30, instead of packing it, which is anobjectionable feature in grates heretofore employed having oscillatoryor rocking movement in service.

While I do not limit myself to any particular form or design ofgrate-bars, that illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10 I have found to beparticularly adapted to use with mechanical stokers, said bars being ofthe usual form as regards the body or main portion, but being providedwith a series of teeth on their upper faces, which are narrow but widerthan the body of, the bar. By reference to Fig. 7 it will be seen thatthe teeth on the lower end of the bars 6 have a longer bearing-surfaceat the point where the greater movement takes place, thus preventing toogreat an opening between the bars when the bars 6 are raised, whichwould allow the fuel to fall through to the ash-pit before becomingentirely consumed. This form of bar, while providing ample surface forthe support of the fuel, has the advantage of allowing a free and equaldistribution of air to all parts of the fire, thereby greatly aiding thecombustion thereof.

By the employment of the slotted link 51 and intermediate shafts andarms forming connections to the bars 6 and operatin g mechanism, saidbars are automatically brought into proper position for operation in anypo-' sition of inclination to which the main grate may be adjusted.

The link 53 is coupled at its outer end to the lower arm of a rocker 54of substantially bell-crank form, which is journaled in bearings 55 onthe outside of the fire-front, and the upper arm of said rocker 54c ispivotally connected to a vertical sleeve 56, through which passes aconnecting-rod 57, coupled at its upper end to a crank 58 on atransverse operatingshaft 59, journaled in bearings 60, secured to theoutside of the fire-front, rotation being imparted to said shaft 60either by a small special engine or motor or by a belt from a shaftrotated by any suitable prime mover. The connecting-rod 57 has its lowerend threaded for the reception of an adj usting-nut 61, which bearsagainst the lower end of the vertical sleeve 56, and is held at anypoint on the connecting-rod to which it is adjusted by means of alocking-arm 62, engaging notches in its periphery, said arm 62 beingpivotally connected to the lower end of the sleeve 56. The movement ofthe grate bars 6 is regulated by moving the nut 61 toward or from thesleeve 56, thereby permitting a greater or less degree of lost motion ofsaid nut prior to movement of the sleeve 56 and connected parts. Asocket 633 is formed in the rocker 54: for the admission of a detachablehand-lever 64, by means of which the grate-bars 6 may be operated whenit is desired to work the device by hand.

Fuel is supplied from the fuel-hopper 23 to the auxiliary and maingrates through the fuel-feed-supply passage 22 and over the feedplate 25by a vibratory fuel-feeder 24, which is provided with end journals 65,fitting in bearings in the ends of the fuel-hopper, and a hingedpusher-plate 24, which rests upon the feed-plate 25 and slides backwardand forward thereon coincidently with the movement of said vibratoryfuel-feeder. The f uelfeeder 24E oscillates in and normally closes alongitudinal opening in the front of the hopper and is actuated by adownwardly-projecting arm or bracket 66, pivotally connected to a block67, which slides in ayoke 68, the lower end of which is connected to acrank 69 on the operating-shaft 59. A nut 70, through which passes anadj listing-screw 71, slides in the yoke 68, said screw passing throughthe block 67 and having a bearing in the lower end of the yoke and beingheld in position by means of a collar 72 bearing against the upper endof the yoke. The screw 71 is operated by means of a hand-wheel 7 3,secured to its outer end and abutting against the top of yoke. Thetraverse of the fuel-feeder 24 and fuel-feeder plate 24. is regulated byrevolving the screw 71, which moves the nut to or from the block 67,thus permitting a greater or less degree of lost motion to ensue beforesaid block is affected.

In operation, the fuel-hopper having been supplied with fuel and thedriving-shaft 59 rotated, the fuel is gradually and continuously fedthrough the fuel-feed-supply passage 22 to and over the auxiliary orcoking grate 26 and main-grate bars 6 and 6, which grates have beenpreviously adjusted to such degree of inclination as may be best suitedto the characteristics of the class of fuel which may be employed. Thefuel is partially coked, if of coking character, upon the auxiliarygrate 20 and is consumed in its passage over the main grate 6 6, thecinder and ash being delivered to the dumping grate 31, from which itmay be dropped at proper intervals into the ash-pit of the furnace. Thevertical and longitudinal movement of the bars 6'" effectually preventsthe cakin g or running together of the body of fuel thereon bycontinually breaking it up and creating air-spaces through its e11- tireextent, at the same time gradually feeding the body of fuel in thedirection of the dumping-grate. If, for any reason, it becomes desirableto resort to hand-firing, this may be readily done by lowering the maingrate to the lower level of, and supplying fuel through, the openings4.111 the fire-front controlled by the doors 5. The bars 6 can then beagitated by hand by means of the handlever 64, and it will be seen thatwhen in this position the grate-bars are supported with their front endsentirely above the opening 75 in the fire-front, which communicates withthe ash-pit 74C. The capability of such adjustment of the main gratealso materially facilitates the cleaning of the fire. The rate of feedand of agitation of the fuel on the grates may be varied as desired, orthese operations may be suspended by suitable manipulation of theconnections of the fuelfeeder and the agitator with the drivingshaft 59.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. Thecombination, substantially as set forth, of a supporting-frame, a seriesof gratebars fixed to said frame, a series of movable grate-barssupported between their middle portions and their ends on shafts havingan oscillatory movementin the frame, and means for imparting movement tosaid shafts with a greater traverse of one than the other.

2. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a supporting-frame, aseries of gratebars fixed to said frame, two rock-shafts journaled inbearings adjacent to the ends of said frame, two supporting-shafts fixedto arms on the rock-shafts, a series of movable gratebars having lowerrecesses between their middle portions and their ends, which engage thesupporting-shafts, a link coupled at one end to a pin on an arm of oneof the rockshafts and having a longitudinal slot adjacent to itsopposite end engaging a pin on an arm of the other rock-shaft, andoperating mechanism for vibrating the rock-shafts in their bearings.

3. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a series of fixedgrate-bars and an alternated series of movable grate-bars, each having aseries of teeth or projections on its top, of greater width than itsbody, the teeth of the movable bars being made of greater depth at andadjacent to one end than those of the fixed bars.

4. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a main grate havingthe capacity of adjustment at different degrees of inclination, afuel-feed-supply passage, an opening and door in a fire-front below saidfuel-feed-supply passage, an opening in the front below said door,leading to an ash-pit, means for moving the main grate into and out ofposition in which it may be fired, in regular op eration, through thefuel-feed-su pply passage or through the fire-front opening next belowsaid passage, respectively, as desired, and means for supporting thefront ends of the main-grate bars entirely above the passage leading tothe ash-pit and between the same and the door-controlled opening aboveit.

5. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a main gratesupported with the capacity of adjustment at different angles ofinclination, a fuel-feed-supply passage, and

grate, means for moving the adjacent ends of a the main and auxiliarygrates in opposite directions so as to afford a clear fuel-space betweensaid grates, and a firing opening and door located below the auxiliarygrate and in position to admit of fuel-supply to the main grate whenmoved away from the auxiliary grate.

8. The combination, substantially as set forth, of an inclined maingrate, a fuel-feedsupply passage, an auxiliary or coking grateinterposed between the supply-passage and the main grate and restingfreely on the main grate, and power-actuated mechanism for reciprocatingthe ends of the auxiliary-grate bars upon those of the main grate.

9. The combination, substantially as set forth, of an inclined maingrate, a fuel-feedsupply passage, an auxiliary or coking grateinterposed between the supply-passage and the main grate, power-actuatedmechanism for reciprocating the ends of the auxiliary grate bars abovethose of the main grate, and power-actuated mechanism for agitatingalternate bars of the main grate.

CHARLES R. GREUTER. Witnesses:

FLORENCE A. HARRIS, HENRY O. J ONES.

